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Sunday, May 11, 2014

Boko Haram

The kidnapping of 250 girls from a girl's school at Chibok
in north-eastern Nigeria by the Islamist terrorist group Boko Haram has become
international news. Boko Haram means "westernization is forbidden" and it
operates in the Hausa-speaking region of Nigeria. They were founded in 2002 and
are responsible for ca. 10,000 deaths in that region. The group specifically
targets girl's schools because they believe that girls should not be educated,
and they target churches and even mosques. It should be noted that Muslim
sharia law is in effect throughout northern Nigeria. In line with the
medieval nature of their beliefs, the terrorists burnt down the school at Chibok
and they treat the girls like slaves. Their leader was filmed saying "if Allah
wants me to I will sell them in the market." In other words going back to
slavery. What kind of stupid, backward, primitive movement is this?

What has brought a lot of criticism is that not only did
the Nigerian Government appear to do nothing for about a month after the
kidnapping, but local police received prior warning of this attack and were
completely unprepared. It is as if this region of Nigeria is beyond the control
of the central government. Indeed the Nigerian authorities admitted they have
no idea where the 250 girls are located. And this is
far from the first or last such attack. Another attack occurred a few days ago
in which another school was attacked and another12 girls were
kidnapped.

The terrorists rape and murder some girls, the rest they
either sell into slavery or use as their own slaves. Needless to say this
retrogressive movement has few sympathizers in Nigeria, yet they manage to
obtain arms and to operate unopposed. The UK, US and other western governments
have sent experts to Nigeria to help the government locate the girls and try to
rescue them. It may be too late. If they want to be considered seriously,
moderate Muslims must explicitly reject the archaic aims and methods of this
extremist terrorist group.